"And in those simple beautiful movements I remembered what was really important in training; that consistency trumps intensity; all the time. That intensity is born from consistency. That one cannot force it, one has to lay in wait for it, patiently, instinctively, calmly and be ready to grab it when Grace lays it down in front of you."

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Just realized it as I posted Toms blog and website on my blog that we really have a great little group of RKCs in this area that are in good communication and its just getting started.! Pete, Ken, Joe,Monica,Tom, and of course me.We can include Franz and Yoana by geographic default here too,lol. Lots of great training and life wisdom being transmitted as well as encouragement and energy for training.Good stuff.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

and so it was today. I swear there was heat rising off the platform in the garage today,lol. There's nothing like knowing the work that lay ahead on those days( which seem to be pretty frequent of late) that you would rather do anything than get started.

So now I focus on the skill of mental discipline as it is much harder to come by these days than physical discipline. The courage to do what I set out for myself regardless of the desire to do so at the time ;} As hard as it is I am really enjoying( afterwards) training alone. It truly is a test of my mettle when there is no audience, No encouragement and no other energy than what I bring to the table. ANd a number I have already convinced myself I should obtain.

Snatch Hi Pulls36x5/5/5/544x10/10/8/8/6/6= 48 reps/setx five rounds= 240 reps /10,560 foot pounds.28 minutes.Interesting. I did the same 240 reps on May 31 but used heavier and lighter weights5/31/06High Pulls Ladder36x10/1044x8/853x6/6 Five ladders= 240 reps in 25 minutes

Interesting that the heavier work sets were the lowest in total work and combo of the heavier and lighter work produced less total work than the constant weight for the same total number of reps.BUT the it was pretty darn close.

Oh yeah, I got a serious pump in my , ahem, glutes. Guess the hip snap is actually working right.

Pullups7 sets of 5 ballistic. 35 total

MAN I was weak as a kitten here. I did them without the pauses and they were HARD! I the hi pulls killed my arms and shoulders it seems. I do get a good shoulder/trap podriv( yank) as I hip snap.

Monday, June 26, 2006

Man this was tough to get up for. Almost everybody required bodywork today which always kills the biceps and shoulders. I am rethinking snatching on Mondays,lol.regardless I had to take a 15 min power nap before I could 'get up' for this one.helps once I clear the cobwebs.

snatch36x5/5x244x5/553x5/5 x6/6 x7/7 x 5 rounds= 180 reps!!9540 foot pounds. 28 minutesMan watching the rest periods really made this tough.Average was 60-75 seconds and I wasnt liking it! LOL. Where are my 5 min rest/sets on max effort days?I can definitely do 200 in 30 minutes on a good day.Its not my cardio that keeps me from pushing its the distinct feeling I will tear a biceps or shoulder if I rush. I WISH I could go balls to the wall but discretion and all that.

bottoms up cleans53x5/562x4/472x3/3x2 setsthis is tough after snatches/grip is toasty.

Saturday, June 24, 2006

Went for our final shakedown on the monolift before Nick lifts at Nationals July 9. Nick squatted his opener 525 like cake, then did rack holds with his prjected second attempt 573 and then 601 for his third. All easy and strong. He is figuring out the groove he has to be in to unrack the bar and maintain perfect squatting posture. Good time to switch over to the clean and press for saturday workout

this is some kind of pr I'm sure. these were very easy. was going to use the 62 today but didnt want to lug it around. next week at home. The Bulldog will fall soon.

Supersetted with ballistic pullups4,5,6,7,5,6,7,5,6,7 58 reps should have done more. didnt keep track in the workout. very strong repsone kb suitcase dl53x10 inside 10 reps sumo 4 sets.was going to barbell dl but though better of it.not bad but I am looking forward to being back in my gym. I am becoming a recluse.Lol, ok, even more than normal.datsit, stay loose.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

This was a wierd one. Had ZERO desire to train today. So hard for me to train hard with no upcoming competition to focus on. SO much harder than training for meets. The deadline and the fear of upcoming humiliation in front of my peers and betters helped a lot to get me pumped up. Now the goal is NOT to push too hard, yet still show up and progress. Perhaps the hardest training line I've ever had to follow.

Of course once I broke a sweat it was all good. In fact very good; my wind and between set recovery has gotten much better as of late. The efficiency of my swing is much to credit I believe as I not working so hard in each set ,:}}

Switching hands every so often has given me hope that one day I will take the USSST for ten and five minutes and not hurt myself. I would love to be able to do that.Its taking a log time to change this long time powerlifting/bodybuilding body back to a strength endurance athlete, but it seems to be coming.

Hi pull ladders36x5/5/5/5x253x5/5x6/6x7/7= 72 reps/ three ladder rounds= 216 total reps/ 11,448 foot pounds. wow. thats way higher than expected. last week was 256 reps but with weight waves so lower total load.cool.

This was much easier than I expected. my wind, as I wrote above, was very solid. and 28 total reps per set is very high for me. I love being able to do a lot of work; it's extremely satisfying to me.Technique was solid too as my upperback drive and hip snap were working together better than ever.. gettin good float.

Rest between sets was shorter than usual too, although I dont count. Longest, at the start of the workout, 75 seconds and dropping to 35-45 sec for the last sets. I always did run negative splits in my road races,lol. start slow, finish fast.

Overhead KB Holds.Since I like the waiters walks I thought I might like his big brother. this turned out great. santch the weight overhead then hold for various times.

53#x15 sec20sec25sec30sec15 sec each arm

This was good for me. Really lets me settle in and find the best hold position. Plus you can really feel how important the glutes and hips are for overhead stability. I will like this one. Plus I can lift some weight!

Rack walks, one kb44#x10 laps of 100 feet alternating arms each 1oo.this was wierd as my left knee worked fine with the bell in the left rack position but clunked when I held it in the right. took awhile to get it 'under me' and not make so much noise with the right arm loaded. have to walk very slowly.

about 90 degrees today, great sweat. I love sweating my ass off.another good thing about training alone, you go at YOUR pace. total workout time: 50 minutes. I am learning to love shorter workouts in my old age. Well, at least accept them.

Monday, June 19, 2006

I was not happy at all with my snatch form this last Saturday at Jacks Gym. This seems to happen when I start to ramp up my reps over five. I rest less in the top which I need to do to really get under the weight and get on my heels with my glutes locked in.

I start to rush and get pulled forwards. Next thing you know I start to feel my biceps working and I dont like that. So today, since I need to start snatching on Mondays anyway ( the pace is too slow on Saturdays now) I decided to do some form work. Never a waste of time.

Snatch36x5/5/5/5 one hand switchx5/5/5/5/5/5 Never tried this USSST style before. Very interesting= 50 reps44x5/5/5/5x 7 sets= 140 repsBy keeping the reps to just five ( my favorite rep number it seems) and switching I am not as tempted to NOt get on my heels and hold the lockout. I have really let that slip lately. Dumbass.I will play with this. this might allow me to get my total reps/set up without my form going.

Also: GET ON MY FREAKING HEELS AND INITIATE THE SNATCH DROP FROM MY FREAKING HIPS!!!!!!!

Another thing I forget very easily it seems. If I really get back on my heels and hinge the bell stays in very close, my biceps dont load and my hip snap is solid. DIdnt I just remember this a few weeks ago? LOL! DUmbass.

Saturday, June 17, 2006

Went up to Jacks gym in Felton in the Santa Cruz mountains today to help Nick get ready for Nationals in 3 weeks. Cant wait. the boy is on fire! He squatted 505, 535, and 555 like NOTHING today.Jacks gym is the PERFECT WSB garage gym setup. This place is freaking powerliftin gheaven with tons of guys eager to help load, spot,etc. and every single piece of power gear a guy could use.

He needed the time in the monolift to get the rack position right. I hate training in strange gyms; freaking hate it. Oh well.GOt some decent farmers walks in carrying the kbs up the hill to the garage gym.

snatch36x5/5/5/5x353x5/5x6/6x7/7x8/8x9/9x5/5x6/6x7/7x8/8x9/9x5/5= 132 reps ,6996 lbsman I thought it was more reps. was hoping to get 140 and thought about just tacking on another set of five but decided against it. biceps are tight and my groove was not solid. hips still a bit tired from wednesdays pr hi pulls. really really really had to fight to not pull the bell and focus on the hip drive.

Ah, sometimes things go right. and its usually when you least exepct it. Not a huge pr, but a pr nonetheless and one thing all those years training westside taught me was to ALWAYS respect prs and to get them whenever you can. whereever you can. they always add up to more strength.

Went into Hi Pulls today not expecting much. Kind of tired, blah feeling, tracy stole the clock( she does her extra swings in the kitchen now, in between sets of housework!) and generally just a work-out. But as usual I warm up slow and late and had a great second wind. Rest periods got very compressed towards the end. I just have to really, fully warmup.

Hi Pulls36x10/1044x8/853x8/8 x4 rounds=128 reps (2816+3392= 6208lbs)then62x6/6 (2976+3520=6496) 6496+6208= 12,704 lbs lifted)44x10/10x4 rounds=128total = 256 reps PR.This is where I want to go with the high pull. Get the volume OVER what I want to snatch,volume wise, wave that load,up to 300 total. Where the snatch goal is an average of 180-200 reps/workout.

And form wise they have never felt better. I can really get the coordination and timing of the swing now better than ever. Letting is swing through and THEN snapping the glutes as the bell is under you AS I pull back with the shoulder. the kb just pops up now. KB's have really helped me lower my center of gravity, which was pretty high, let me tell you.

I am learning to let it swing and not force it when its already moving.Hitting the hips at the right spot is everything.much easier on the shoulder and the back.2 kb farmers walk200 feet,with 2 36's x 5 sets ;100o feet total. 30 seconds( counted) rest/sets.knee was wierd on this. I wonder if I should just stay with the assymetrical rack and waiters walk. this bilateral 2 kb walk hasnt been good for awhile.totaly different posture. maybe thats the problem although I did try to walk more upright today and the knee still wasnt under me right.

2 kb dl2 62's x5/5 30 sec/sets.I think I need to find another move on this day than repeat this as saturdays workout. need to think about it, too much dl wont be good I'm sure,even light.

oh well. great workout and totally unplanned pr. this is my 'play' day as far as weights and rep combinations go. make it up on the spot and let it develop rather than guide it.snatch and press day are more structured.datsit. gotta stay loose.bw 158.6 !?! thats low.bf 10.2 % thats high. must be low water.its hotter these last two days.

Monday, June 12, 2006

I have to remember that as I am starting to get strong again and damn does it feel good! I KNOW how to exert maximum force, I'm good at it. its just those damn sissy ass joints of mine that won't do their job.Presses today were so much fun cause they were easy. I have died as a bench presser but perhaps been reborn as a KB military presser.

Makes sense,since I began as a press machine as a gymnast. Straight arm straight leg pike press was the first real move I learned as a gymnast and I could do it perfectly almost from the start.

Its taken my all this time to learn how to begin to root and create tension from the ground up.SO much easier on the shoulder.

The steady levels and small increases of volume have paid off it seem. I've made a quantum jump in work capacity and it feels good. Did 72 pullups today no problem when just a month ag0 40 was a good workout.

Same with snatches. It was that 200 rep workout I bet. Its just like anything. Once you go to what was perceived was a top end everything underneath that level now is different. Forever easier and much less deserving of any respect and no fear at all. those 168 snatches Saturday was just where 135 felt a few months ago.

Thats the funny part, too. No matter what level I am at it almost always feels the same,psychologically.. Going from 315-405 in the squat was fundamentally the same as 405-500. The challenges, fears, obstacles and desires for pr's are the same, just different numbers. Exact same thing with kbs, or anything for that matter.

Clean and Press/Ballistic pullups36x5/5 544x5/5 653x3/3 772x2/2x6 3 rounds of above ladder total reps=72! all time pr.The presses were seriously easy. I had two more reps per arm easy. AND it felt light for the first time in a long time.Cleans88x2/2x2SInce I've decided one of my new goals is to press the Bulldog and I can bottoms up clean it I should do some regular cleans with it. THis thing is a monster! It will be awhile before I press this. Lots of training to do. want to do at least 3x5 with the 72 before I make the attempt.waiters walks with 26200 feet per arm 3 times each armThis exercise is unique for me in that it really creates axial extension in my body when I walk. 2 continuous laps is tough for my right shoulder as it is still not perfectly comfortable , or really even perfectly IN, neutral.But it is coming and is so much better. The 26 is better right now as what I need is shoulder ROM and shoulder strength endurance.

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Today was one of those workouts that was just work. Was a tough week and had a hard time concentrating on the task at hand. THis is where having set numbers to achieve really helps. Just keep focused on doing your numbers, keeping form and get through it.

Snatch36x5/5x344x3/353x6/6x7/7x8/8 x 4 rounds. 168 reps/ 8904 lbsreally hard to stay in my body and not lose form and pull with my arm. had to keep repeating the cues as I did them. worked fine in the end.Bottoms up cleans44x5/553x5/572x5/5 x 2 sets! These were very very solid.2 kb dl2/62 x10 x 3 setsI love these. have to get a second two pood next.datsit. slow today but I got through it safely.Plus, I did almost 170 snatches on a tough day. I'll take it. The baseline has definitely moved upbw 162.5bf 11.5% !!! must be dehydrated. time to get wet. Training heavier has definitely put more size on me. dont know if thats a good thing. I was aiming for 160. Less desserts.

Great article on the energy systems of mma,ppor article on exercise selection for the same. man, kettlebells take care of the physical needs of the mma athlete way better than this stuff! add in the dls,sandbags and pullups and you are set.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

No pain that is. As mysteriously as my knee went out it seems to have ‘gone back in’. For how long who know but it sure is sweet.I think the origins of this actually lay in ankle immobility as I did a lot of release work on the posterior tibialis and the lower soleus as well as some close stance squatting knee ankle stretches right before it went in. It is truly a mess though and my knee replacement is probably no more than five years off. If I make that.

I know its going to be great to be able to walk as far as I want and to train kbs pretty much as much as I want without the limitation of grinding knee pain.. don’t need to squat deep anyway ( artificial knees usually go on 120- to max 130 degrees of knee flexion) but swings should be fine as will hiking and cycling. That will be cool.

Also got to train at 11:30 today, way early for me as many clients are out of town. The perfect day for me:

Wake up without an alarm clock.

Coffee and paper

Hot shower and or bath/joint mobility stretch out.

Prepare for training session with motivational music, magazines or books. Visualize what I want to do in the workout.

Train.

Stretch out

20 minute nap

Food

This is how I used to live when I was swing shift and got to train myself first. I miss it.

Oh well, we choose what we choose.

Snatch Hi pulls

36x5/5x3

53x10/1062x8/872x6/6= 48 x four rounds. 192 total reps

This went surprisingly well. My swing has jumped to a new level and I don’t have to fight it or’find’ it much anymore. Nice. This is what you train for. Unconcious competence. The last level of Mastery.

Wind was very good and rest periods are definitely getting shorter although I don’t count them. I didn’t even have my clock in there today.Tracy stole it J)I would get 75-60 seconds between sets.

Farmers walk 2 suitcase stye

2 36’s x 400 feet x 4 rounds= 1600 feet

This is where it was great that my knee wasn’t clunking around on every step.I cant remember feeling this for a long time.Not to mention the sharp pain,lol.I really let myself lean forward and held a solid lumbar arch. The two bells are much different than walking with a single bell.much more like a running gait than a walking.

Rack walk, one kb

36#x 100 feet each arm x 3 rounds 600 feet/

30 second rest between each round.

This went very well as well!!

2 kb deadlift62#x5x5

I love these ;not heavy at all but remind me of older days. Still got a great dl groove!My dl was better than I thought at the time. Didn’t have enough confidence in my unique style of lifting. I would have done much better listening to all my instincts, which turned out to be right. Try not to let that happen again.

Monday, June 05, 2006

I've been thinking about my "good old days" as a powerlifter . I found my best gym numbers on many of my special exercises that I did for the squat bench and deadlift.We would add weight on an exercise until we missed ,usually only doing singles,sometimes triples.we would grind til our eyes popped out but we never got psyched before the lift,saving our adrenaline for the meet( or at least we tried to!).Typically we would only do an exercise one or two weeks before we got stale and switched it out. The harder it was or the bigger the pr we made( we constantly went for them) the earlier we switched out the move.especially on dl type moves.

SO here, this is from 1997, I was 40 years old and coming off my best total weighing 190 /1485lbs. at APF Masters Nationals. So close and yet so far away.

Should've been a good day.Light schedule, plenty of rest, food and water yesterday.I have never have great workouts on days I feel good going in. Never have.

AM:20 minute walk (to and from mechanics)7 minutes on exercise bike.

This is the first time in 2 years my knee bends enough to pedal a bike. very interesting.I think part of the pain is coming from an increased ROM and different patella tracking than in years. It always hurts to grow and go forward. If I know anything I know that.

But I forget how to walk so easily! Pain really distorts motor patterns unbelievably. I have to really slow down and do lighter farmers, waiters and rack walks as well as just plain walking.I always go too heavy on everything; given the chance :))So many demons so little ROM.

I just know one thing: I HAVE to stay as loose as possible. Way more important than strength for me.And ice the shit out of my knee.

All presses supersetted with ballistic pullups5,6,7,5,6,7,5,67,5,6= 60 reps total pr! decided I was starting the ladders too low. Need to get to 100 reps in a session as the peak.I like solid numbers like 100. 315. 405.72. lol.

Bottoms up clean and press26x4/436x3/344x1/153x1/1 EASIEST EVER!62xmiss/miss - good attempt,missed 3/4's the way to lockout.xmiss/miss -same but closer!xmiss/miss - the closest of the three. have to really get set TIGHT before the press and I could feel saturdays workout cutting into the ability to tense.No problems though. This is a done deal. The 53# was seriously steady. went right up.Clean and press53x5/562x2/272x1/1x2 sets62x1/153x5/5these felt really light after the B/U.Waiters walk26# x 1000 feet switching arms each 100 feet.Rack walkone 26#x1000 feet switching each 100this was actually very good. walked very slowly or it hurt the knee.the one kb rack walk and the waiters walk really make me extend UP as I walk. this seems to be crucial for me getting the right position for my knee to be "under" me. I tend to hunch quite a bit from gymnastics, road cycling and running.lots of stretching, thumper and h20 now. oh, and ice.datsit.

Now that I have my 100% volume( for the moment) I can train a bit by percentages. Since last week was a peak, it's time to drop down the ladder

Snatch36x5/5x244x5/5x253x5/5 x6/6 x7/7x 4 rounds. 144 reps( 70% of 200 is 140-close enough)Very easy,except on the hands, which got a bit hot. no tears though. Teshnik was great and the hip drive again took ALL the load off my shoulder and biceps through the middle. If this holds up it will have totally changed my snatch technique for the better, plus decreased my injury potential! training with three partners so pace was slower but I cut in between most times.

Bottoms up cleans44x5/553x5/572x3/3 STRONG!88x1/1 3 setsI would give the Bulldog cleans a c+/b-. The bell was bottoms up and stopped but not locked in perfectly. Plus I didnt swing through on the descent, just put in on the platform.Much better than last attempts but I still need more leg/hip drive and thats just confidence and committment to the attempt. I'll get it for triples soon.

2 kb deads62x5x5this is a great rehab movment for me. lots of quads and erectors to balance out the swing work.bw 161.4bf 10.0%